Let me put this into [Context]

If you read my last post about my 7 SL facts then you know I pretty much stink at meeting people and making friends. You can understand then why I was so excited to have reconnected with an old SL buddy from way back when!

I first met Kennef back in 2008. He was like the big brother figure in my life for a long time. Eventually time and different groups of friends had me losing my way for a bit. I recently connected with Kennef again and I was super excited to hear he too had ventured into the world of fashion design! I mean really, who doesn't want a fashion designer friend in your pocket (PS. My fashion designing bes-tfriendship is totally up for grabs. , ahmmm)

If you haven't heard of [Context] By Kennef then I suggest you all get in the know on this one! His market place store holds everything from mesh, to swimwear and even some jewellery! If you are someone who loves multi-wear items then this place is for you! One thing I really love about [Context] is the texture change HUD. I mean I really love this. It's amazingly simple to use and I can wear one Mesh T-shirt with 5 different textures! This is pretty awesome for someone like me. I love to always be wearing a "fresh" outfit most days but sometimes it can be a HUGE pain to try and remember where everything is and exactly what I'm wearing. With these items I can simple attach a HUD and choose my next look. Simple!

Take a look at some of the goodies I got recently! Both of these looks do come with a texture HUD so you get a few options for a more than reasonable price!

The clothing does run more towards women, however if you are a guy who loves a great graphic Tee then look no further Kennef offer over 28 shirts for the casual male.

Believe me when I say the prices are beyond reasonable. In most cases you are getting that amazing HUD I mentioned so spending 189L for 9 textured dresses is pretty amazing.

Worn:
[Context] Buckled Halter Dress w/ 5x texture change HUD
[Context] Zane Minidress  w/ 9w texture change HUD!

OH! AND GUESS WHAT?!

[Blossom] or now easier known as [B] is having another sale!! The Follow the Rainbow Sale runs until March 18th! ALL clothing is marked down to 75L, select shoes and boots have been marked down as well. Some sets in the store are marked down to 50L as well. Anything marked down to 50L will be removed from the Main Store and set on MP in the upcoming weeks so make sure to grab it while you can!

There is also a new group gift out! Join the [Blossom] group and wear your tag!

Let's chat! My 7 SL Facts

While I love a good fashion blog post there is one thing I almost love more- A blogger challenge! Okay I also love a good story post too. It helps break up the every present fashionistas out there and let's me see a little bit of you!

For a while now I've been reading Alicia Chenaux's "Ch'Know?" blog. I have a serious blogger crush on her stuff. I love that she keeps her fashion blog separate! I also love how she decorates (That's what originally sent me to her blog!)

Anyhow she recently did meme she saw from Strawberry Singh! I always feel like a good writing challenge lets us all get to know each other just a tad better beyond how cute we can dress! This one involves revealing 7 SL Facts about ourselves that folks may not know! I'm hoping to share some things beyond the obvious. Some of the things I have to say aren't always pleasant or even entirely new to some but are things I'm willing to share. If you don't have anything nice to say then please don't! I'm not writing this as a pity party or to be judged..mmkay?

So here we go, let's sit down and chat a while! (I can talk.. a lot.)

 

My SL Fact #1:

Until this year I have never bought Lindens! All the Lindens I had I earned from jobs, surveys and silly things like Gold Hunt! Within 4 months of being in SL I had amassed 65,000L from being a dancer. Honest to goodness I have NO idea how that happened. I started dancing to meet people and make a little money. One job led to me working 5 clubs at once for a period.

My SL Fact #2:

 I am REALLY bad at meeting people. Like really bad (cue violins!) I have exactly one friend I talk to on a regular basis. I don't count my husband because most of the time we are in the same part of the house on our avatars! I like people but I feel super awkward going to things where everyone else knows each other. That girl standing there on the outskirts at your club or party pretending she's afk so she doesn't seem lame? Yeah, that's me! Let's be friends! Kay? But don't be a creeper please! (See story below!)

 When I was brand new I met this woman who promised to help me learn about SL. She took me to some free places to find clothes and introduced me to new places. Around my first or second day she tp'd me to her "house" (I later learned that she owned a slave dungeon!!) She took me to a room to let me "change" my outfit (At this point I didn't really grasp that I could change anywhere I wanted to, oye) As I was figuring our how to put things on, I looked around. I soon realized that the far side of the room was filled with sex furniture!! I had NO idea how to get out. I didn't have any landmarks of my own yet and I was still learning everything. I ran around the room running into walls and jumping over furniture until I finally learned how to use search to teleport elsewhere.

My SL Fact #3:

 Okay, deep breath.. Currently I have eleven semi active avatars. Yes.. 11. This doesn't even count the avatars I have deactivated. I began collecting them and calling them my army when drama struck in my life. It was like I became fixated on changing myself with each one until I found something that stuck. I would create a new avatar, make her/him pretty and quickly lose interest. I have all kinds now.. fantasy, hybrid, vamp, biker, retro, character.. you name it.  Khloe is not my first avatar. About a year before I made Khloe I had fiddled around with SL. I created an avatar then kind of freaked myself out and immediately deleted everything SL related! Khloe is actually my 4th avatar I made before it "stuck"

My SL Fact #4:

I met my RL husband in SL- He was a big red demon in a pimp suit, I was a gangly scantily clad chic with no AO. After some really hard times in my life G and I became close. 7 months into starting Khloe in SL I took a trip from the North East to the South East and finally met him face to face. 5 years later we're married! 2 years this August. I always thought people who met others online were creepy, losers or insane. I've obviously changed my tune!

My SL Fact #5:

I feel really inadequate as a designer. I make these items that I feel are great and I feel so proud- then I leave my safe haven, wander into a "big name" store and BAM! I see these insanely detailed pieces. I've considered closing my store about a million times. I start getting depressed because I only sell things during sales or in discount shops/events. I always want to buy or make something unique but I look at exclusive items that cost upwards of 10,000L- can not do it. Sometimes I see a bunch of bigger named designers with the same or similar mesh/sculpted items that I can not find myself to make. I swear there's a secret society of designers out there hoarding all the good stuff for themselves.. crazy lady in the house!!

My SL Fact #6:

 I had an SL baby once. I went through the whole SL belly and belly talker (while I was still dancing no less). We spent an absurd amount of money on a little prim baby that I think we used for a week, if that. I quickly realized I didn't know what to do with her. I wasn't interested in setting up baby furniture or watching her "grow". I did want an SL family though. A lot of my friends had siblings, parents, even god parents. I really wanted that but have never found people who stuck around long enough for me to feel comfortable with. My own RL family is sort of a mess and just like SL I really only have my husband. I'd love to have sisters to do girls day with or movie nights. I detest child avatars that have skins with makeup and look like little mini adults so I have a hard time considering adopting. I went through the process once and felt so awkward (again with the bad social skills, jeazzz) that I never finished the trial. She was sweet but not a good fit for me. I have a feeling I'd fall better into being the adult sibling or child..

My SL Fact #7:    

 I have land and housing ADD. I start off LOVING what I've done. I go through these insane decorating binges until I have a house that's somewhat of a show piece. Then I get bored and have to start over. My husband finally suggested I go premmie because we were moving monthly. I HATE the land we live on now but it's mine so here we stay. I would love to live on a sim with folks I considered friends or family. The type of place that was ultra decorated, had seasons and let me wander around without a million ban lines or little square parcels surrounded by water! Also.. I want to be able to put up a really awesome house with tons of rooms and not have to skimp on prims! arghhh

WOOW. When I started writing this I pretty much sat here unable to think of a thing to write... Now I'm having a hard time stopping. There are a million little things I want to share with people... whyyyyy. Please feel free to leave links to your own 7, if you go ahead and do this I love to read these things!

oh!

 What I'm wearing:

Top: (fd) Tucked In T - S White @ C88

Pants: Color.Me.H.O.F Mesh [Briston Trousers[Black] (Past FaMeshed item)

Shoes: [Gos] Sophia Peeptoe - Black

Leaving on a jetplane..

Hello darlings!

Doing a little jet setting today!

Worn:

Hair: Lelutka: Ella Hair
Glasses: Baiastice_Candy shades-black/white-trasparent @ The Arcade
Shirt:(fd) tucked in T @ C88
Pants: elate! Ella Jeans- Ivory
Flip Flops: N Core


Pose: Focus Poses Mode set 127 _2

Arcade on my Mind

I am usually a tight fist when it comes to my Linden money. However this past weekend there were SO many adorable things. I have a really hard time turning down discounts and an even worse time turning down a gatcha. As you can imagine The Arcade was my heaven and hell.

I won't go into the maddness of showing you everything i got. Honestly it's a little scary. I had set a modest budget for myself and in a matter of days found myself blowing through thousands of Lindens and even going so far as to buy more. DO you know how many times in my entire 5+ years in SL I have bought Lindens? Twice. - This was only after I went premmie and had to buy land. You can see why my insane spending was out of control.

I do admit I hit up about 50 yard sales to boot. Holy buckets- Those places are almost as toxic to me as the original gatcha itself.

Finally I dragged my bleeding wallet around to a few discoutns and sales. Check out some of my goodies!

 

Shock and awe.. I took a non-white backgrounded picture! *fistpump*

Please don't hate be but I totally forgot to actually EDIT this. Oye. Anywho...

Worn:
Hair & Flowers- Truth- Video Games- Ginger ( I snagged the faded brown and purple too. Wee!)
Necklace:.Olive. The folded Gold Paper Necklace- C (got G which =hubs initials! and also have B.. anyone want it? IM me !)
Fan: Shakeup Arcade Fan- Leaves

All these items can be found at The Arcade (and various yard sales... shhhh)

Also worn:
Dress- [AUX] - Summer Sun-Sky (also have Noon and Twilight)@ TDRF 40L

The curtain in the background is also an arcade sng. I am so in love with these. It totally pulled my slightly boring decor together perfectly!- I don't want to show you all my other things. It looks like something from Grandma's chatchki room.

After all this dancing I am FaMESHed!

Oh my goodness I woke up this morning bright eyed and bushy tailed! All I want to do is blast girly music and dance- which I can because.. no one is home today! Wooo!!! Time to get my boogie on!!!

I snagged this adorable black leather jacket by Emery at FaMESHed a few nights ago! I finally have an excuse to snap a quick pick to show it off! I am SO in love with this!

Jacket Worn With:

ColdLogic- Manza- Black
MG- Necklace- Gold Filigree
Exile- Waiting for Tonight (recolored)
Gos- Sophia Peeptoe- Black

Body:
League- Sia- Pale Natural w/ Cleavage
L.Fauna- Serious Liner
[Croire]- Bitten Lip Gloss- Candy

 
PS. Please excuse the crappy picture. I pretty much snapped a quick snap and didnt go into gimp before I posted. But you get the idea.

Enough boogie time I'm going to go chow down on my chocolate covered strawberries! 2 dozen and everyone insists they are just for me. Oh Boy!

New Group Gift, Holiday Sale and more @ [Blossom]

[Blossom] is hosting it's annual Vday Holiday sale! All RED, PINK & PURPLE  items are marked down to 50L from Feb 11- Feb 18th! There is one item in the store marked down to 0L.

 and... dun dun dun... a brand new group gift! Be sure to wear your tag to get!!

Also, if you haven't been into the store in a bit I've placed a special edition dress and make-up! The original price was 100L but going with my sales it's been marked down to 50L! This set is also gift wrapped and transferable for the perfect sweetheart gift or treat for you or a friend!

 

Find it all -HERE-

Poses used: Focus Poses Model collection 123 & 125

The Journey: Adventures of a newb

Warning: This is not fashion related but more of story of my recent experience. 

I did something a little different recently. I decided to make a new alt. It's been a few years since I've had a new avatar and I decided to give it a go. I should start off by saying I decided to relive the old magic of Second Life. I didn't pass money, clothes or LMs to my new avatar. I wanted to experience what the truly new folks of SL see for the first time.. So here we go...

Meet Caliope. Or really MissCaliope.  Choosing a name was my first ordeal. I do have a resident or two in my cache of alts but back when it was new it was a LOT easier to pick a name. I miss being able to choose a first and last name. Choosing a first name that doesnt include a lot of random numbers and letters would be awesome. I just randomly picked the first female name my eyes came across while browsing some websites. Ity took a lot of random spellings and the added "Miss" To create a new me. I miss legacy names :(

I also have to note how much the new orientation island SUCKS now. I remember being a newb and having a mini city you learned to drive cars in.. a dome to learn to fly in and all kinds of click-able learn-able things. When I first started I think I spent a few weeks there because I thought it was cool and tons of people stayed around. The new place? Not so much. It consists of some mesh signs in a semi circle... they are neon colour swirls with things like "popular", "media", and whatever on them. The whole island? has been shrunken down to a plot of land surrounded by water. There are a few cheap trees and rocks around and the building is a bunch of archways. Suffice to say visually it stinks. There are absolutely NO signs telling you what to do or where to go next. Hoping for the best I clicked a sign. When I clicked this sign I assumed It would transport me to another part of the sim where I would be... tutored? NO. After clicking the first sign I saw I was immediately teleported into a massive warehouse style club. There were overbearing gestures, lots of chatter and noise. If I had been an actual new user of SL I would have been horrified. I went from being a supreme newbie to being shoved into a mass of half naked people. WTF. Where is the whole learning experience. Without thinking I tried to TP back to orientation island which as we all kn ow.. you can't do. Iwas given a pop up telling me if I wished to further learn I should go to Public Orientation island.

I suppose If I was using my already gained knowledge I would know to just pull up search or map. For someone brand new that's like being told to meet someone on 4th Street but not being told what town or given directions. I did however power on.

I decided to check out search. Again, I was squelching my knowledge and acting.. well.. new( not obnoxious, just toddling around looking at everything. clicking on some things..)! I clicked around a bit and somehow found some newbie friendly places. Time to mingle! I teleported to the first location- NCI Kuula. It boasted help and friendly workers. Newbie friendly and yadda yadda. I landed and saw a tn of people. For 10 minutes I wandered around. Stood near people and generally acted like someone who seemed a bit confused. I asked for help at one point. It took another 10 of my leaving my avatar just standing while I did dishes for one of the helpers to finally even greet me. The attitudes of people helping new folks is SO much different from when I first started. I remember when I started there were actually people to help when you first rezzed. And anyplace I went- especially these newbie friendly centres people were always there lending a hand. Sometimes it was overwhelming but there was someone there to tell you how to change clothes, find things, unpack- all those things we didn't know we needed to know.

I'm analizing this in the most BASIC level. Because honestly if I was truly new I would probably have hung up the towel at this point. I finally got greeted by a helper whop pretty much stopped his flirting long enough to tell me to follow an arrow to the help board. I followed the arrows that led me to a wall with all of these pictures and some scripted board. Even as someone not new it was overwhelming. Clicking. Waiting, being interrupted by someone else clicking it. It was a mess. This person never said a word after doing his "duty". I was pretty disappointed. This supposed help center was anything but. For one- I managed to toddle to the freebie section that was a fully scripted vending system that I was supposed to know how to work. Furthermore I was expected to know how to unpack a box. I remember actually being new and getting a box. I thought I had been scammed. I had NO clue what to do with it until someone told me.

I also tried the Shelter. Another bust. Here I said hello. No one helped. There were no signs to help. Just a bunch of people dancing and gossiping. Disappointment. I wasn't expecting handout or free things. I was more hoping someone continued the tradition of.. I don't know.. caring? Heck, I would have settled for another newbie hitting on me. Being ignored was worse.

Overall I'm disappointed in Linden Labs and the Second Life Community. I found there was little to no help out there for new people. The helpful signs may seem tedious but actually helped a lot when I was new. I also noticed the lack of freebie stores anymore. Places like the Gnubie store are gone. Quality freebies by generous people. 


If I was brand new I can say I would probably never have stayed if it had been like this 5 years ago.

So.. Do you have and newbie friendly hot spots? How about free stores, quality items, and the like?